Hobby Lobby to forfeit thousands of ancient Iraqi artifacts imported to US

Hobby Lobby to forfeit thousands of ancient Iraqi artifacts imported to US

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Updated: 9:19 PM CDT Jul 6, 2017

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WEBVTT PAUL: AN INCREDIBLE STORY,COMING TO A HEAD TONIGHTAN ICONIC OKLAHOMA BUSINESS MUSTGIVE BACK ANCIENT TABLES ANDARTIFACTS SMUGGLED OUT OF IRAQ.TONIGHT HOBBY LOBBY FACES AMAJOR FINETHE ORDER JUST CAME IN.I PORED THROUGH THE DOCUMENTSFROM BOTH SIDES TO A STORY WE'VEBEEN ON TOP OF FOR YEARS.HOBBY LOBBY IS ARTS AND CRAFTS.BUT IT'S OWNERS ARE ALSO GETTINGREADY TO OPEN THE MUSEUM OF THEBIBLE IN D.C.BUT IT WILL BE WITHOUT THOUSANDSOF ANCIENT CUNEIFORM TABLETS ANDARTIFACTS FROM IRAQ.THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SENT KOCOTHESE PHOTOS OF THE TABLETSTONIGHTHE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FOUNDAROUND 5500 ITEMS WERE NOTGATHERED PROPERLY.IT IS DEMANDING HOBBY LOBBY GIVETHEM ALL BACK AND PAY A $3MILLION FINE.AGENTS SAY THE COMPANY IGNOREDSOME MAJOR RED FLAGS,AN EXPERT WARNED HOBBY LOBBYTHEY COULD BE CULTURAL PROPERTYOF IRAQ LOOTED FROMARCHAEOLOGICAL SITESTHE ITEMS WERE SHIPPED WITHFALSE LABELS ON PACKAGESDESCRIBED AS TILE SAMPLESAND THE 5000 ANITIQUITIES WEREPURCHASED FOR $1.6 MILLION.AND HOBBY LOBBY WIRED MONEY INTO7 PERSONAL BANK ACCOUNTS TO PAYFOR ITEMS, INSTEAD OF PAYING THEDEALER.HOBBY LOBBY PRESIDENT STEVEGREEN RESPONDING SAYING WESHOULD HAVE EXERCISED MOREOVERSIGHT AND CAREFULLYQUESTIONED HOW THE ACQUITIONWERE HANDLED.THE COMPANY ADDING THEY WERE NEWTO THE BUSINESS OF ACQUIRINGARITIFACTS.-- ARTIFACTS.HOBBY LOBBY AGREEING TO HAVEBETTER PROCEDURES IN THE FUTURE

Hobby Lobby to forfeit thousands of ancient Iraqi artifacts imported to US

Hobby Lobby has agreed to forfeit thousands of artifacts from modern-day Iraq and pay a $3 million fine to resolve a civil action the Justice Department brought against the company, according to court documents.

The clay artifacts were purchased in 2010 by the Oklahoma-based company and were shipped from the United Arab Emirates and Israel.

Despite being warned by an expert that the items needed to have the country of origin properly labeled on the custom forms, the company purchased them and had them sent back to the states without proper documentation.

According to the Department of Justice, the expert told Hobby Lobby that a wrong declaration of country of origin could lead to seizure of the artifacts by Customs and Border Protection.

Prosecutors said the dealers working with Hobby Lobby falsely labeled the 5,500 artifacts that were shipped as “ceramic tiles” or just “samples” and illegally shipped them to Hobby Lobby stores and two corporate offices.

Hobby Lobby President Steve Green says the company was not aware the items were artifacts.

In a statement he said, “We should have exercised more oversight and carefully questioned how the acquisitions were handled. Hobby Lobby has cooperated with the government throughout its investigation, and with the announcement of today's settlement agreement, is pleased the matter has been resolved."

Green also said the company has put safeguards in place so that future acquisitions are properly vetted.